“Boss, there’s no one here”… Korea Stops Without Foreigners
“If we don’t have foreign workers, we’ll have to close the factory doors,” complains Mr. A, the CEO of a small to medium-sized enterprise in a provincial area. Rural areas have long since become ‘foreign villages’. As the ‘demographic cliff’ caused by low birth rates and an aging population becomes a reality, foreigners are rapidly filling the void.
The results of the ‘2025 Immigrant Status and Employment Survey’ released by Statistics Korea on the 19th are shocking. The number of foreigners aged 15 and over residing in Korea has surpassed 1.7 million, recording an all-time high. This is a staggering 8.3% increase compared to the previous year. It is a clear signal that the Republic of Korea has fully entered the era of a ‘multicultural immigration country’.
The Vietnam Surge: Catching Up to China?
The most striking part of these statistics is the rapid increase in ‘Vietnamese nationals’. While the number of Korean-Chinese (Joseonjok), who traditionally made up the largest proportion, has stagnated, the number of Vietnamese is exploding.
Currently, the number of Vietnamese in Korea is approximately 270,000, accounting for 16% of all foreigners and ranking second. Although there is still a gap with the first-place Korean-Chinese (500,000), considering the speed of increase, the possibility of a reversal within a few years cannot be ruled out.
So why Vietnam? Experts cite the influence of ‘K-Culture’, the increase in ‘marriage migration’, and the active expansion of Korean companies into Vietnam as major causes. In Vietnam, Korea is seen as a ‘land of opportunity’ and an object of envy. The number of Vietnamese youths learning Korean and dreaming of studying or working in Korea is increasing exponentially. Furthermore, the rising number of cases where students switch to work visas has also played a part.
Transfusion of 2030 Young Blood: A Savior for Aging Korea?
The fortunate aspect is that the incoming foreigners are young. The number of foreigners aged 15-29 increased by 12.8% compared to the previous year. For Korean society, which is losing vitality due to aging, this young foreign workforce is like welcome rain during a drought.
They are silently sweating in ‘3D industries’ that locals avoid, such as manufacturing, construction, and agriculture, supporting the foundation of the Korean economy. Encountering foreigners in restaurants, convenience stores, and construction sites has now become a daily occurrence. A sense of crisis looms that without them, our daily lives might come to a halt.
”They’re Stealing Jobs” vs. “We Must Live Together”
However, where there is light, there is also shadow. Social conflict resulting from the surge in foreigners is a detonator that cannot be ignored. Some voices cry out, “Our own youth don’t have jobs, yet only foreigners are favored,” “Public safety is becoming unstable,” and “Conflicts due to cultural differences are concerning.”
In fact, recent crimes involving foreigners in some regions have heightened residents’ anxiety. The issue of illegal immigrants is also a difficult problem to solve. The government is eager to attract foreigners by relaxing visa systems, but critics point out that the ‘social integration system’ for them to settle stably in our society is insufficient.
Multicultural Era 2.0: A Paradigm Shift Needed
We must admit it. The myth of a single-ethnic nation has already been shattered. Now is the time to ponder not ‘how to stop it’, but ‘how to live together’.
We should not view them merely as ‘substitutes’ to fill a labor shortage. We must accept them as members of our society and seek ways to coexist. This is why discussions on establishing an Immigration Agency are gaining momentum. We need to set up a systematic immigration policy control tower and strengthen settlement support programs such as language education and cultural experiences.
At the same time, improving the perception of locals is urgent. We need an attitude of respect and inclusion, not discrimination and exclusion. A world where Mr. ‘Nguyen’ from Vietnam becomes our neighbor and friend. That is the path the Republic of Korea must take in 2025.
”Is Korea Still Attractive?” A Shaking Status
Meanwhile, worrisome signs are also being detected. Due to the recent weak yen phenomenon, an increasing number of foreign workers are heading to Japan. As the wage gap narrows, the reason to insist on Korea is disappearing.
If the perception spreads that “Korea is hard to work in and discrimination is severe,” we could fall behind in the competition to attract foreign talent. A national branding strategy to make Korea a ‘country people want to come to, a country people want to live in’ is desperate.
The era of 1.7 million foreigners. Will we turn this crisis into an opportunity, or fall into another swamp of conflict? The choice depends on us right now.
